NOTE: I prefer fresh cream instead of the sugar icing. You can add a tablespoon of chocolate powder into the cream if you wish.
Ingredients:
1 cup water
1 1/4 cups caster sugar
125g butter
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate soda
1 1/4 cups self-raising flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Icing:
1 cup icing mixture
1/3 cup of cocoa
30g butter, softened
hot water
Method:
1. Combine water, sugar, butter, cocoa and bicarbonate soda in a saucepan and warm, but do not boil, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Then bring to the boil and simmer gently for 2 minutes.
2. Transfer mixture to a bowl and cool for 30 minutes.
3. Add the flour and eggs and beat until just combined.
4. Pour into a greased and base-lined 20 cm cake pan.
5. Bake in a moderate oven on 180°C for 40 minutes or until cooked.
6. Cool for 10 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Icing:
1. Sift together the icing mixture and cocoa.
2. Mix in the butter and enough hot water to form a soft icing.
3. Spread over the cooled cake and decorate as desired.